Derrick hydraulic ram



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Patented Sept. 21, 1954 DERRICK HYDRAULIC RAM Richard L. Hayman, North Hollywood, Calif., as-

signor to Haskel Glendale, Calif., a pa gineering & Supply 00., rtnership Application September 27, 1948, Serial No. 51,461

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved double acting ram structure particularly useful in raising and lowering towers or derrick structures from a vehicle on which it may be transported.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved double acting ram for the purpose indicated above characterized by the fact that the piston portion of said ram remains relatively stationary while the barrel or cylindrical portion of said ram moves in response to hydraulic pressure in such a manner that the hydraulic connections to the ram may be placed in the most advantageous position. In the oil well industry, it has been found desirable to transport the derrick from one site to another, as the occasion demands, on a vehicle. In such case, the derrick is made telescopic in nature so that it may be of decreased length. For convenience of transportation, such derrick in telescopic form is usually mounted horizontally on a vehicle. As a result, difficulties were experienced in moving the telescoped derrick or tower from the horizontal position wherein it is normally transported to a vertical position where it is useful for its intended purposes in oil field operations.

Usually, the tower or derrick is pivotally mounted on the vehicle so that it may be pivoted from a horizontal position to a vertical position as the occasion demands. simplicity and large amounts of power obtainable, hydraulic means were used to pivot such tower or derrick about its pivoting axis on its carrying vehicle.

It was customary to use a ram which was arranged for pivotal movement on the same vehicle but the hose connections for conveying fluid thereto was unduly lengthy which passed around the pivotal axis for the tower with'the result that difiiculties arose in keeping such long hose connections free of the moving tower as it pivoted about such axis. This situation was complicated by the fact that the hose connections were subjected to relatively high hydraulic pressures and necessarily moved with movement of the tower.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improved hydraulic means for raising and lowering a tower pivoted on a vehicle characterized by the fact that the hose connections to the hydraulic means are relatively short and susceptible to little motion as the hydraulic means is operated to raise and lower the derrick or tower attached thereto.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic means for the Because of inherent in which:

purpose indicated above, characterized by the fact that the piston element of such hydraulic means is pivotally mounted on the truck while the cylinder portion of such means moves with respect to the truck.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic means indicated above, characterized by the fact that such means is effective with the attendance of minimum personnel to pivot a tower from a horizontal position to a vertical position beyond the vertical.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic means for the purpose indicated above characterized by the fact that such means may be conveniently bled to remove entrapped gas pockets, if any may exist.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic means of the character described for the purpose indicated above characterized by the fact that no harm will result when the attached tower or derrick is being raised or lowered in the event that the purlnp supplying fluid to such hydraulic means Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hydraulic means for the purpose indicated above characterized by the fact that the attached tower or derrick structure may be lowered from a vertical position without the necessity of supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to such hydraulic means, once the derrick is moved to such vertical position.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a telescopic tower pivotally mounted on a vehicle and adapted for movement from the horizontal transportable position shown therein to a vertical position by an improved hydraulic means or ram structure embodying the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are views in side elevation taken from the same direction as Figure 1 but with the hydraulic means actuated to position the attached tower in different positions approaching the vertical and, in Figure 3, to a position on the other side of the vertical position.

Figure 4 shows in diagrammatic form a hydraulic system which may be used to actuate the hydraulic means shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the connections to such hydraulic means being indicated thereon by the notations To Ram.

Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view through the hydraulic means embodying features of the present invention taken when it is in its retracted "or collapsed position shown in Figure 1.

Figures 6 and 7 are end views of the structures shown in Figure 5 taken substantially in the direction indicated by the arrows 6- 5 and 'l--'1, respectively, in Figure 5.

Figures 8A and 8B, comprise in fact, one figure to the same scale as Figure 5 but with the hydraulic means or ram in its most extended position corresponding to the position of such ram in Figure 3. I

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 5. i

The improved hydraulic means or ram Iil embodying features of the present invention is arranged to move the tower H from its mobile position in Figure l to its extended position shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The telescop'ed tower or derrick structure ii is pivotally mounted about the axis of the pivoting bolt 22 on the stub tower l3, the stub tower being pivotally mounted about the axis of the pivoting bolt Himounted on the chassis 15 of the vehicle it. The stub tower [3 may be moved to adjusted vertical positions by adjustment of the adjustable link member [8 having its ends pivotally mounted respectively on the chassis is at 26 and on the stub tower l3 at 2L, The length of this link l8 may be adjusted, in conventional manner, by turning the adjusting nut 22.

After the tower ii is swung about the axis of bolt [2 to a sirbst'antially vertical position wherein the apertures 2t and 25, respectively, on the tower ii and stub tower 25 are aligned, a fastening bolt may be passed through aligned apertures to maintain a rigid connection between the stub tower i3 and the main tower I I. I

The present invention concerns itself particularly, but not "exclusively, with the structure of the hydraulic means ii! and, is advantageous in this installation since the hose connections 36, v

for conveying fluid under pressure to the ram it is relatively short and subjected to a minimum amount 'of flexing in operation of the ram ii! to its diiferent positions shown in Figures 1, '2 and 3. The ram It is of the three-stage type and is double acting. The piston or inner portion 40 is pivotally attached to the chassis [5 of the vehicle, there being provided for this purpose an 'extension 46A having a circular aperture 40B therein through which a pivot bolt passes. Apart from such pivotal movement of the piston mem ber 48, it is relatively stationary with respect to the vehicle while, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the cylinder comprising three telescopic sections ill, '42 and 43 move longitudinally with respect to the piston member 40.

Fluid is introduced into the central hollow portion GOA of the piston 40 through the hose connection 56. This hollow portion 40A is in communication with the hollow portion 41A, 42A and 43A, respectively, within the cylindrical members ii, 42 and i3 through the check valve 4013 which is shown in greater detail in Figure 9. As fluid is introduced into such hollow portion 40A in the direction indicated by the arrow 45, the outermost cylindrical member 4| is moved to the left in Figure 5, and such movement continues until the inner annular shoulder MB thereon moves into engagement with the annular shoulder on the next adjacent cylindrical mem er 22. In such case, continued movement of the outer cylindrical member 4| results in movement of the next adjacent cylindrical member 42, and such movement continues until the shoulder 523 on cylindrical member e2 engages the shoulder 326 on the innermost cylindrical member 43. This inner cylindrical member 63 is then moved to the left in Figure 5 until the shoulder 43B thereon assumes the position shown in Figure 3B.

It is noted that in the most extended position of the ram shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the shoulder 43B is spaced from the fluid packing material till-I mounted on the piston member 48 to provide an annular space or chamber 55, the section 43 forming one curved wall of such annular chamber while the cylindrical piston to spaced therefrom forms the other curved wall of such annular space 46. The provision of such annular space 46 and its selective communication with the hydraulic system shown herein forms another important feature of the present inven tion.

This annular space or chamber 4 5 is in communication with the flexible hose connection 3! through fitting 41 screwed into the piston member 40, and is also in communication with the tubular opening 40D through the L-shaped channel 40E. This "chamber 46 may be bled to the atmosphere through the inter-connecting L- shaped channel 40F and tubular channel after the bleed'er connection 5%] is opened by unscrewing the bleeder plug 5 I.

The provision of the chamber ti: is very desirable when the tower or tower structure is moved 'to a position overcenter of the vertical position as 'is the case as shown in the full lines in Figure 3. It is noted that when the tower moves past its vertical position the weight of the tower which initially tended to compress the cylinders 4|, 42 and 43, now tends to expand or pull the 'cylindrical sections ii, 42 and i3 apart. Such tendency of the weight of the tower to pull the sections 41, 42 -and 43 further apart is overcome by the hydraulic forces brought to play in chamber 46. The tower in passing from its vertical position to a position beyond its vertical position squeezes the hydraulic fluid out of chamber 46 but the movement of such fluid is impeded by the restricted opening 386? so that the movement of the tower H is much slower than would otherwise be the case.

Thus, as a matter of convenience in the tower raising operation for purposes of reference, the inner cylindrical spaces MA, 42A and 63A may be characterized as compression chambers since compression forces are developed therein to move the tower upwardly; and the chamber 46 may be conversely characterized as a tension chamber "inasmuch "as the hydraulic forces developed therein counteract the tension forces ex e'rted on the sections of the ram when the tower passes beyond its vertical position wherein gravity forces thereon tend to rotate the tower further.

In the tower lowering operation, briefly, fluid under pressure is introduced into the chamber 46 to initially move the tower back to the vertical position or to a position slightly beyond the overcenter position on the vehicle side so that gravity forces on the tower may be used to col lapse 'o'r nestle the cylindrical sections 4!, 42 and 43. Such continued downward movement of the tower is impeded because the movement of the fluid from chambers 4|A, 42A and 43A into the central piston opening 40A is impeded due to the restricted opening 52 (Figure 9) in the movable element 53 of the check valve 403. This opening 52 is of such size that the quantity of fluid flowing therethrough prevents the tower from moving downwardly at excessive speeds even though the related pumping system failed.

The hydraulic system for introducing fluid into connections 30 and 3| is shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 4, the hydraulic system includes a storage tank or reservoir 60 from which fluid is delivered to the intake of pump 6| through the shut-off valve 62 and filter 63. The outlet side of pump 6| is connected to the port 65 of the three position valve 66 through the relief valve 61 and check valve 68. The relief valve 61 is likewise connected to the fluid return line 69 and functions to prevent the development of excessive pressures in the supply line 10. The check valve 68 serves to prevent a reverse direction of liquid. flow back into the outlet side of the pump 6|. The high pressure conduit 10 may be placed in communication with the gauge 12 through the gauge damper 13 to indicate the pressure within line 79. The other ports 15, T6 and ll of valve 66 are connected respectively to line 30 through check and relief valve 18, to the return line 69, through relief valve 19 and to the flexible hose connection through the check and relief valve 80.

The valves 18 and 80 are combined check and. relief valves connected to allow lines 30 and 3| to relieve excessive pressures which may be developed therein, due to thermal expansion, etc., into the return line 69A. The valves 18 and 853 are also connected to allow unidirectional flow from line 69A into either 30 or 3| as the case may be.

The relief valve 19 functions to maintain a thirty pound per square inch back pressure in line 69A. The check and relief valves 18 and ac are interconnected through the cross fitting 8| to the supply line 69A to provide relief for unequal pressure differentials in the system occasioned by, for example, thermal expansion. The valves 18 and B0 permit re-entry of oil into either side of the cylinders in the event of external leakage. A gauge 82 with an associated gauge damper 89 may be connected to the line 69A to indicate fluid return pressure. The system shown in Figure 4 is merely exemplary of others which may be used to produce the desired operation of the ram.

In operation of the system shown in Figure 4, when it is desired to move the tower II from its horizontal position shown in Figure 1, wherein it rests against the abutment 85 on the chassis to substantially a vertical position, the valve body of valve 65 is positioned as shown in Figure 4 to place the ports 65 and 15 in communication with one another and to simultaneously place the ports 16, 1! into communication with one another. In such case, the direction of fluid flow is initially in the direction indicated by the arrow 9| which corresponds to the arrow 45 in Figure 5. Fluid continues to flow until the cylindrical sections 46, 42 are extended and cylindrical section 43 is partially extended. As the tower approaches or reaches its vertical position wherein there is substantially no unbalanced forces thereon and the tower begins to continue to pivot clockwise in response to gravity forces acting thereon, the liquid flows from chamber 46 in the direction indicated by the arrow 92 in Figure 4 and by the corresponding arrow 95 in Figure 4 to reduce the rate of movement of the tower from a relatively large rate which it otherwise would have.

When it is desired to lower the tower from its overcenter position, the valve 66 is adjusted so that the ports 65 and 11 are in intercommunication and the ports 15 and 16 are placed in intercommunication. In such case, the liquid flows through connection 3| in the direction indicated by the arrow 95 and the direction of fluid flow in conduit to is in the direction indicated by the arrow 96.

Thus, the tower I0 is moved counterclockwise in each one of the figures in which it is shown to a vertical position or slightly beyond the vertical position wherein the gravity forces thereon tend to collapse the cylindrical sections 4|, 42 and 43.

In the event that the prime mover for pump 8! may become inoperatvie by, for example, opening the electrical circuit to its driving motor or, by disengaging a driving clutch, the tower would not descend at an excessive speed because of the restricted opening 52 in the movable valve element of the check valve 483 (Figure :9).

Bleeder plug 99 (Figure 5) is provided to bleed any gas which may accumulate in the chambers 4|A, 42A, and 43A.

It is appreciated that diiferent types of packing may be used to assure a fluid-tight connection between movable cylindrical sections and the relatively stationary piston section. As examplary of these, the packing may comprise 0 rings |9| disposed in suitable recesses as well as flexible packing material I02 reinforced by a steel ring |93 held in place by threaded packing rings I04.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in the bleeding arrangement and specific relationship of the bleeder plugs 5| and 99 which allow complete bleeding of entrapped air from the ram when and as it is originally filled with fluid, or after prolonged use, such bleeding being accomplished when the ram occupies the position shown in Figure 1.

In bleeding the chamber A, 42A and 43A of entrapped air or gasses, the valve 66 is manipulated so that fluid under pressure enters through connection 39, fills the chambers 4|A, 42A, 43A and forces any entrapped air or gas upwardly and through the loosened bleeder plug 99 located above such chambers. After such chambers 4|A, 42A and 43A are thus bled of any entrapped air or gas, the bleeder plug 99 is returned to its normal chamber closing position.

In bleeding the chamber 46 of entrapped air or gases, the valve 56 is manipulated so that fluid under pressure enters through connection 3| and forces any entrapped air or gas upwardly and through the loosened bleeder plug 5| which, through conduit 49F is in communication with the highest point of chamber 46 when the ram. is in the position shown in Figure 1. After such chamber 46 and conduit 40F is bled of any entrapped air or gases the bleeder plug 5| is returned to its normal chamber closing position. These two aforementioned bleeding operations, accomplished by loosening plugs 99 and 5|, may thus be accomplished without the necessity of raising the tower from its supported normal position shown in Figure 1.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a ram structure including a relatively stationary piston member and a cooperating cylindrical member movable longitudinally respect to said stationary piston member, said cylindrical member including a plurality of individually movable extensible sleeves telescoped one within the other, an extensible fluid chamber defined by the outermost one of said sleeves and said piston member, said piston member having a base and a conduit therethrough with one end of said conduit in communication with said chamber and the other end terminating at said base, a check valve in said conduit through which fluid passes,

said check valve havinga movable valve member normally closed to seal a relatively large port in communication with the ends of said conduit, the ends of said conduit bein normally, at all times, in communication with said chamber through a relatively small port, a second fluid chamber defined by the innermost one of said sleeves and said piston in the extended position of said ram structure, and second conduit means in said base havin one end thereof in communication with said second chamber and the other end thereof terminating at said base, third conduit means extending through said piston with one end thereof in communication with said second chamber, and with the other end thereof in communication with air bleeding means, fourth conduit means extending through said outermost sleeve with one end thereof in communication with said first chamber and with the other end thereof in communication with air bleeding means.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a relatively stationary piston member, a cylinder member cooperating with said piston member movable longitudinally thereof, said cylinder member includin a plurality of individually movable extensible sleeves telescoped one within the other, a first chamber defined by said piston and the outermost one of said sleeves, first conduit extending through said piston memher in communication with said chamber, a second chamber defined by the innermost sleeve and said piston, second conduit means extending through said piston member in communication with said chamber, a second chamber defined by the innermost sleeve and said piston, second conduit means extending through said piston in communication with said second chamber, said first and second conduits being adapted for connection in the pressure side and return side, respectively, of a hydraulically operated system, third conduit means extending through said piston wi h one end thereof in communication with said second chamber, and with the other end thereof in communication with air bleeding means, fourth conduit means extendin through said outermost sleeve with one end thereof in communication with said first chamber and with the other end thereof in communication with air bleeding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 577,489 Mills Feb. 23, 1897 635,848 Dutton Oct. 31, 1899 1,394,245 Berry -1 Oct. 18, 1921 1,482,256 Prall Jan. 29, 1924 1,905,065 Scholl Apr. 25, 1933 2,151,557 Suth Mar. 21, 1939 2,354,922 McEWen et 'al Aug. 1, 1944 2,462,505 Moore June 18, 1946 2,425,468 Hair et al Aug. 12, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 39,694 Germany Dec. 4, 1386 585,388 Germany Oct. 6, 1933 499,899 Great Britain -1 Jan. 31,1939 

